Naturopathic Medicine
Naturopathic medicine is a system of health care - an art, science, philosophy, and practice of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of illness. Naturopathic medicine is not defined by the substances used but rather by the principles which underlie and determine its practice. These principles include: the healing power of nature, find the cause, do no harm, treat the whole person, prevention, and doctor as teacher. (Definition provided by Washington Association of Naturopathic Physicians)
At Stone Turtle Health, we follow our patients' lead in determining the most effective form of care. Dr. Baker works side-by-side with her patients to find the most suitable treatment options, ranging from diet and lifestyle changes, botanical medicine, homeopathy, physical medicine, and counseling, to prescription medications and necessary referrals to specialists, in order to provide them with the best possible care.
Dr. Baker, like all naturopathic doctors, recognizes that everyone is an individual and deserves to be treated as such. Further, in keeping with the naturopathic principle of treating the whole person, she always looks at symptoms in the context of a larger picture of the body as a whole when designing treatment plans.
While everyone's care is individual, there are some aspects to the office visit that are the same for almost every patient. Most first office visits take an hour. Dr. Baker spends this time getting to know you, hearing your concerns and learning of your history and unique circumstances as well as providing a comprehensive physical. Treatment plans are agreed upon with the patient at the end of the office visit and in a follow-up email. Questions can usually be answered via email or phone and a follow-up visit is typically scheduled for 30-60 minutes to assess progress and give support for any difficulites encountered in the course of treatment.
If you would like to learn more about natural medicine as it is practiced at Stone Turtle Health, please call us today at 206.355.4309 with your questions or feel free to visit our clinic during our office hours for a tour and a free 15 minute consultation. We cannot provide medical care or offer suggestions specific to your concerns at this brief consultation, but we are happy to share our philosophy and assist you in deciding if natural medicine is the best option for you. For some examples of home remedies for common health concerns, please click here.
Massage Therapy
Infants, children, men and women - EVERYONE should experience the benefits of a massage. Great for dealing with stress, recovering from an injury, helping to heal scar tissue, or aiding in processing somato-emotional responses. Massage is good for the whole family. After a brief interview, your massage therapist will tailor your massage experience to provide you with the maximum benefits.
Swedish massage is the use of different stroke techniques in a prescribed order to effect certain specific benefits. Swedish massage is designed to relax muscles, increase oxygen flow and local circulation through the compression of muscle on deeper muscles and one, stroking in the direction of the flow of blood back to the heart.
Craniosacral Therapy is a gentle form of bodywork, able to be performed with the patient fully clothed, that works to remove any dural restrictions or interferences with the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid. Many people find this method to be extremely relaxing and working at a deeper, emotional level than typical massage. Craniosacral Therapy can also be used to unwind tight or injured areas of the body, improve sleep, and address a range of EENT problems from sinusitis to chronic ear infections.